Police act against 130 locals for possessing VPNs on mobile phones in Kashmir

The J&K Police acted against over 130 locals on Thursday (January 1, 2026) in the Kashmir valley for possessing virtual private network (VPNs) applications on their mobile phones. The use of VPNs have been banned in all 10 districts of Kashmir in the past one week.

According to a police spokesman, the J&K Police identified 95 VPN users in south Kashmir’s Pulwama and initiated “preventive action” against them. “The Pulwama Police enforced the District Magistrate’s on unauthorized VPN usage. Ninety five individuals were identified and following technical scrutiny and background verification, no terror-related adverse background was detected and no FIR has been registered,” the spokesman said.

As a preventive measure, the police said, “security proceedings have been initiated against 43 individuals, primarily in the 18–40 age group, for violation of the said orders”. “Genuine users were released after detailed device analysis with a strict warning to refrain from VPN usage in the future,” the police said.

In Baramulla’s Sopore area, the police said 23 individuals were found “using unauthorized VPN services in violation of the prohibitory orders.” “Security proceedings have been initiated against 15 such individuals for non-compliance with the orders,” the police said.

A police action was also taken against five individuals in Anantnag and six in Kulgam in south Kashmir, officials said.  

In separate orders, the district magistrate of 10 districts of the Valley have banned the use of VPNs. The ban orders were issued under Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, following the police inputs regarding “suspicious usage”. 

The order said such usage has the potential to be exploited for unlawful and anti-national activities, including incitement of unrest, dissemination of inflammatory material, and coordination of activities prejudicial to the maintenance of public order.

“It was further observed that VPNs enable encrypted data transmission, mask IP addresses, bypass firewalls and website restrictions, and may expose sensitive information to potential cyber threats,” the orders said.

Several districts in the Pir Panchal valley and the Chenab valley in the Jammu region have also banned VPN services in the past one year. 

Meanwhile, security forces traced an ammunition packet in Poonch district on Thursday, apparently dropped by using a drone from across the Line of Control (LoC). 

Officials said the Army’s 06 Madras Regiment destroyed an Improvised Explosive Device, weighing around two kilograms.

Officials said the payload also included 70 AK-47 rounds and 1 kg narcotics. After a high alert, the security forces launched multiple search operations in the region.